SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
The Future of the Textile Industry 
in Australia. 
By “BRADFORD.” 
USTRALIA is rightly famed for her wool, and the fact that such 
large quantities are grown here has led to considerable discussion 
as to the policy to be adopted by the country in relation to that 
commodity. An analysis of the various suggestions made in the 
press and elsewhere shows that there is a considerable lack of 
knowledge of fundamental facts, and that the position is often, 
either ignorantly or wilfully, misrepresented. It is seriously 
claimed by some writers and speakers that not one ounce of wool should be 
allowed to go out of the country in an unmanufactured state. The question as 
to whether this is practicable or not can be dismissed for the present. A’ more 
practical consideration is whether the manufacture of woollen goods cannot be 
considerably increased and more of local requirements supplied. 
Wool Scouring.—First, however, it may be convenient to consider what 
appears a very plausible suggestion with regard to the form in which the wool 
shall be sent from Australia. It has been suggested that all the weol should 
first he scoured before being sent out of the country. It is a fact that, under 
TOTAL PRODUCTION, 
547,702,295 Lbs.; VALUE, £35,964,000. 
(aie ISHORNE _. 484,553,820 Lbs. 
ZA FELLMONGERED .. 45,958,580 Lbs., 
GMM SCEXPORTED ON SKINS .. 17,189,895 Lbs. 
LA 
the Government control which has operated during the war period, there has 
been a considerable increase in scoured wool. This, however, has been directly 
due to the lack of shipping; and, with Government control removed, growers 
will he free once again to scour their wool or submit it for sale unscoured. 
Under conditions obtaining before the war, and which will doubtless obtain 
after the release of Government control, it is safe to assume that the trade 
did, and will. adopt that course which is in the hest interests of the industry. 
Certain classes of wool can and should he scoured before shipment. Other 
classes, however, can be most satisfactorily dealt with in the grease. 
For wools used in the manufacture of the lower class of woollens it is of 
little consequence ‘to the manufacturer whether he receives the wool scoured or 
not. He will pay for it what it is worth to him, taking into account the 
amount of manufactured goods he expects to make from it. If it is in the 
grease, he has to make an allowance for the cost of scouring; if scoured, the 
allowance has not to be made. Even in this case it is questionable whether 
the unscientific methods of scouring adopted by some of the scourers is not a 
serious drawhack, and probably results in the returns for the wool being reduced 
in consequence. 
When we come to consider the wools used for better-class woollens and for 
worsteds the scouring of the wool here is not only superfluous, but, in many 
cases, detrimental alike to the interests of the grower and of the manufacturer. 
308 
